


Punch-drunk Love

by giorginaBM



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gryffindor Common Room, Hero!Fred, Slight Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29958678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giorginaBM/pseuds/giorginaBM
Summary: Fred Weasley saves the damsel in distress from the clutches of Cormac McLaggen.
Relationships: Fred Weasley/Reader
Kudos: 7





	Punch-drunk Love

**Author's Note:**

> I can't remember which Tik Tok user came up with the prompt, but all credit for the idea belongs to her/him/they/them.

The Gryffindor common room became alive as the cohort of students celebrated the Quidditch Cup win earlier that afternoon. An insurmountable array of food kindly prepared by the kitchen elves lined the tables, cups of fire-whiskey were passed around, and half-stumbling, half-giggling students danced in clusters throughout the room. While you weren’t part of the Gryffindor house, the majority of your friends were, which is how you had scored an invite to the night’s celebrations. Though, as you observed from the sidelines, staying close to the hearth for warmth with a half-empty cup of fire-whiskey in hand, you half-wished you had declined. All your friends were laughing and dancing across the room, high on the win and drunk on the alcohol, while you mopped in the corner, not really interested in the frivolities. But it had made your friends happy when you begrudgingly agreed to make an appearance for once, and even now, seeing the smiles on their faces as they spun in circles, made the boredom you felt worth it. A smile made its way across your face as you watched Lee Jordan “accidentally” push Ron Weasley into your group of friends, making them trip over their own feet. The anger that radiated from your best friends was palpable even across the room, and it took everything in you to hold in a giggle at how petrified poor Ron looked. But that smile quickly fell when you finally snapped out of your trance and realised you were no longer alone. You sighed aloud when you saw that none other than Hogwart’s infamous, narcissistic frat-boy Cormac McLaggen was smiling down at you. It was no secret that McLaggen had been sporting a crush on you for the past year, especially not after first semester’s incident when he charmed the bowl of string beans at the table to spell out “nice peas” with a winky face. Frankly, it wasn’t the insinuation that you had small bosoms that had insulted you, it was the fact he couldn’t differentiate between peas and string beans!

“I’m not in the mood, McLaggen,” you began, before he could open his mouth and spew any of his usual garbage. “Shove off and pester some other poor, unsuspecting girl.”

However, rather than taking the hint that you weren’t mutually interested in him, let alone mutually interested in the simple conversation, McLaggen just smirked and slid impossibly closer to you until he was about a shoulder’s touch away. You attempted to recreate some distance, but he mirrored you move for move despite the obvious discomfort you showed. 

“Now, that’s not very nice,” he chastised. “Not to worry, though. I know plenty of ways you can make it up to me later.”

“If it doesn’t include launching my foot up your arse McLaggen then sorry, but I’m not interested.”

“A bit feisty tonight, are we?” he chuckled. “How about we head back to my dorm room and I’ll help you unwind, yeah?” And that’s when he made his biggest mistake yet. 

Fred Weasley had been silently observing the interaction from afar, watching you vocalise what he assumed were some choice words at McLaggen when suddenly the pompous git wrapped his arm around your shoulder. All night the infamous sixth-year had been trailing you like a puppy, and while it was one thing to obnoxiously flirt with someone, it was another to lay a hand on them, and that’s where the line crossed for Fred. He didn’t even realise his feet had begun to lead him to the pair until he was only a few steps away, seething with anger. 

“McLaggen,” he shouted over the music. “Why don’t you go bother someone else with your nonsense because it clearly looks like she isn’t interested.”

McLaggen, who was mid-sentence in what he believed was a conversation with you and hadn’t noticed Fred’s presence until that point, finally peered up at the shadow looming over the pair; a forced smile found its way to his face. 

“Weaselbee,” the blonde greeted him with Malfoy’s famous nickname – the second mistake he made that evening. “Why don’t _you_ mind your own business, yeah? Everything’s fine here.”

“I think she would happen to disagree, given the half-disgusted, half-annoyed expression she’s been sporting during what I can only imagine has been a very tiresome, one-sided conversation.”

You winced as McLaggen tightened his grip around your shoulder, crushing your body further into his own. “Well, you’re wrong,” he replied. “Wouldn’t be the first time either. Now run along and do what you do best: bother someone else.”

Fred, who had seen you visibly wince in pain, decided that was the breaking point. Nodding his head in agreement, he replied “Yeah, I guess you’re right. You know what, before I go, can you do us a favour mate and hold my drink for a second? There’s just something I have to do.”

McLaggen huffed, but nonetheless took the cup from Fred’s outstretched hand in hopes if he granted him this one favour, he would finally get the ginger out of his hair. Fred feigned a smile, mumbling a quick thanks under his breath before swivelling on his heel. McLaggen, oblivious to what was to come, rolled his eyes and redirected his attention back to you. In the same second, Fred had reared his right hand behind his body before sucker-punching the fellow sixth-year in the mouth, sending him to the floor with a loud grunt; the empty cup laid abandoned in the scuffle. Seas of shocked gasps echoed around the three students, from those who hadn’t witnessed the verbal interaction, but had definitely been present for the physical one. You stared at Fred, who shook his soon-to-be bruised hand, and back down at McLaggen who remained unconscious on the floor in slight shock. 

“Shall we leave this git here and head to a quieter setting?” Fred extended his non-injured hand towards you with a mischievous grin. 

You couldn’t stop the giggle that managed to escape your lips, and neither could Fred, as the two of you stepped over McLaggen’s unconscious body and rushed out the portrait of the Fat Lady before anyone could alert one of the professors. Fred’s hands tightly gripped with yours, you let him lead the way, unsure of where he was taking you, but at the same time, uncaring just as long as it was far away from the kerfuffle you imagined was happening in the abandoned common room. After spending some time running through the halls, Fred eventually led the pair of you up a set of winding stairs until you were thrust through the doors of the Astronomy Tower. Your first thought was, how cheesy. It wasn’t exactly a secret that the male cohort at Hogwarts liked to take the female students up here on their little rendezvous’ (you would know from personal experience), and it seemed like Fred Weasley was one of them. However, you couldn’t deny how the tower’s beautiful, moonlit view set the perfect scene, and so you silently opted to ignore the tower’s reputation among its students in favour of taking in the grounds where you two were perched high above. You whipped out your wand from the back pocket of your jeans and whispered a quick _“lumos"_ to light the way to the balcony’s edge; Fred following suit. 

“I’ve always loved Hogwarts at night time,” you voiced aloud to break the silence that had settled among the duo. “Thanks for taking me here, Freddie. It’s exactly what I needed.”

“You should really be thanking McLaggen,” Fred joked. “If he hadn’t acted like a right twat, we wouldn’t have fled here.”

You giggled, looking up at Fred to see him smiling at the sound. “I guess one good thing came out of tonight then.”

“And what would that be?”

“I got to enjoy this stunning view with you, silly,” you lightly nudged him with your elbow.

“I know. I just wanted to hear you say it, love,” he replied. You rolled your eyes at his antics, but nonetheless stepped closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder. 

“You’re wrong about the view though,” Fred suddenly piped up. 

“Hm?” you hummed, wondering what he could mean.

“It’s definitely stunning, but I think the most stunning view to be had is you.”

This woke you from your dreamy state. You thought you might have been hearing things, but when you looked up at Fred from where your head lay on his shoulder you could see the seriousness in his eyes. Fred Weasley, the all-star Quidditch player and Mr popular around campus, rarely got nervous, but in this moment, his gaze darting between your eyes and your lips, he had never felt more terrified. You could see the internal debate he was fighting in his head, and so, to relieve him of the decision, you took the initiative and surged forward, connecting your lips with his own. The kiss itself was short-lived, but it was sweet: nothing like how you imagined kissing Fred Weasley would be like. His arms found their way around your waist as you both drank in the taste of cinnamon, fire-whiskey and the cool, night air. When you both pulled apart, you couldn’t help but share a smile.

“If that’s what happens every time I rescue a damsel in distress, I might do it more often,” Fred chuckled.

“Fred!” you playfully hit his arm.

“I’m only joking, love,” he replied, wrapping his arm tighter around your waist. You leant your head back onto his shoulder as you both looked out over the grounds from the tower’s edge once more; feeling more carefree than you did before.


End file.
